"It's really to protect our police," Arentz said. "I believe the biggest thing it will do (is) it will be another level of awareness to say, 'They don't play with this. You may have a hate for something, but make people more aware that these are good people. They are not criminals.'"

The hate crime law currently on the books in Maryland enhances penalties imposed on those who target someone based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

The proposal would add first responders and police as a protected class.

The proposed language reads: "Because another is a law enforcement officer, or first responder, a person may not: commit a crime against that person or deface, damage or destroy the property of that person."

That would potentially make the civil unrest Baltimore saw last April a hate crime as some police officers were struck by rocks and police vehicles damaged and burned.

The Maryland ACLU is pushing proposals also being considered by the Legislature to strengthen police accountability.

"This bill is a distraction," said Sara Love, a lobbyist for the Maryland ACLU. "Let's look at the real problem of what's going on in Maryland and what Marylanders need to talk about. It's the videos that are coming out about unconstitutional, biased policing. Let's talk about law enforcement officers not being held accountable for their behavior."

Similar bills to extend hate crime protections to police are proposed around the country, supported and encouraged by police unions.

In a letter to legislators, Fraternal Order of Police National President Chuck Canterbury writes: "The level of violence aimed at law enforcement has escalated in every region of our (country) and it is being fanned by the seething hatred of a small but vocal few. There is a very real campaign to terrorize our nation's law enforcement officers."

But according to the FBI and statewide statistics, assaults against officers have been declining, dropping 17 percent between 2009 and 2014 nationally, and down 37 percent over that period of time in the city of Baltimore.

Baltimore City Delegate Curt Anderson, D-District 43, notes the Legislature has already beefed up the crime of assaulting an officer by making it an automatic felony.

"I don't think the bill is necessary," Anderson said. "There's no sense that we have that there is a problem with people attacking police officers because they are police officers."

At a hearing on the bill several weeks ago, state union leaders and police commanders urged its passage. One commander said police are vulnerable because they wear a uniform.